


Almost

by juniperus



Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling
Genre: Gen
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2011-02-03
Updated: 2011-02-03
Packaged: 2017-10-15 08:23:29
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 199
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/158924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/juniperus/pseuds/juniperus
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A vignette from Neville's seventh year at Hogwarts.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Almost

The dark figure pointed his wand at a bloodied pile of robes. As he murmured, a groan escaped the body huddled in their folds. Snape stood back, stiffly, as the boy struggled to his feet.

"Longbottom, you are fortunate Alecto Carrow is both myopic and too lazy to confirm that her _Confringo_ hit you and not the statue beside you. What _is_ it that you thought so important as to risk life and limb?"

"They had a second-year Hufflepuff, sir, and were holding her outside her Common Room until curfew... "

"...so they could punish her for flagrant rule-breaking," Snape finished. His shoulders sagged for a moment before he straightened and glared. "And so _you_ ," he spat, "renowned dueling disaster that you are, took it upon _yourself_ to create a distraction."

He fought the urge to reach out and touch this oddly brave boy, to reassure himself that he was alive.

"Go," he said hoarsely, "and for Merlin's sake be _careful_ this time, idiotic Gryffindor!"

Neville nodded as he looked the Headmaster in the eye, unflinchingly. As he turned to leave he whispered, almost too softly to be heard, "You too, sir."

 _Almost_.

The door closed with a soft click.

**Author's Note:**

> Written as a gift for coffee_n_cocoa.
> 
> Featured story at OWL, July 2009


End file.
